Beware of Mister Baker - 100 drummers I’ve seen “LIVE” and in person. #20 of 100
Ginger Baker-Orlando Sports Stadium
I saw Ginger Baker two times in my life. Continuing with my 1971 period of concerts at The Orlando Sports Stadium, this is number 5 of 6. I’ve featured Floyd Sneed with Three Dog Night, Bill Ward in Black Sabbath, John Bonham with Led Zeppelin, Kenney Jones, Rod Stewart and The Faces.
I don’t have an exact date on the (Ginger) Orlando Sports Stadium gig. It was still the early 70s. At the time, I had started working more in Clearwater, Saint Petersburg and Tampa. I still lived in Geneva, Florida. I was commuting back and forth.
While in Orlando, I visited my favorite drum shop. It was a small store. I knew a few of the employees. I had purchased most of my current drums, cymbals, sticks and stuff from them.
When I walked in, I was at the counter. Ginger Baker was standing 3 feet on my left. He was in town for his gig at The Orlando Sports Stadium. The drum shop owner had another shop a block away. Ginger and his band were rehearsing there. Ginger had walked the block up the street to buy some sticks.
Standing next to him, I could tell he had been sweating and playing very hard in his rehearsal. He pulled out a wad of cash to pay his drumstick bill. I didn’t say anything to him. He seemed very intense.
I became a fan of Cream in 1968. The group I played with in Mississippi “worked up” I’m So Glad, White Room, Crossroads and Sunshine of Your Love. Ginger was one of my favorites, second to Mitch Mitchell, at that time.
I don’t remember if their gig was that night, or later that week. I went to the concert. It was Ginger Baker Air Force. I enjoyed the band, but my main focus was his drumming.
I don’t have much to say about the Air Force Ensemble. I may review those Youtube videos at a later time. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve discovered something I bypassed along the way.
When I was in the music industry, as a music manufacturers representative, I saw Ginger in Los Angeles. This was around 1990. My chronological drummer reviews will have many, well known drummers, I saw and heard in that timeline. I’m still in the early 70s.
The LA / Anaheim 1990 concert was a private, VIP Industry invite only.
(Those after-hours events were sponsored by NAMM music manufacturers)
It was a cool event. At one time, I had video of the concert. Michael Shrieve’s group opened the show. He had a nice group. I’ll feature and review Michael Shrieve when I get to 1990.
The band members with Ginger were Jack Bruce, Blues Saraceno and Bernie Worrell.
I was very close to the stage. Ginger had a cigarette hanging from his lips constantly. He was playing Ludwig drums. They weren’t his Cream kit, but they sounded good. He had all of his original cymbals. Jack was really loud and intense. They were fantastic, that’s all I can say.
Ginger wasn’t as intense as he was in Cream. In 1990, he still had some double bass drum chops. His playing wasn’t much different from The Cream, 2005 reunion gig at Royal Albert Hall.
Ginger has always been a character. The film “Beware Of Mr. Baker” magnified his personality.
In my research, I discovered a film called Ginger Baker in Africa, 1971. Ginger really plays great throughout the film. He was searching for a thing and he found it. Ginger narrates the soundtrack.
It wasn’t until 2005, that I discovered Phil Seaman. When I first saw video of Phil Seaman playing drums, I thought it was Ginger. Ginger Baker copied everything from Phil Seaman and added his thing to it. Swing, Feel, Technique, Smoking, Drugs. Ginger idolized Phil Seaman.
Ginger Baker was a serious musician and drummer. If it wasn’t happenin, Ginger would walk off the bandstand, or leave the interview.
After being off my radar for many years, I rediscovered Ginger Baker when he started recording and releasing music from his Denver, Colorado band.
Ginger also released music with Bill Frisell and Charlie Haden. He seems very happy playing with those established “Jazz” musicians. Ginger Baker was one of a kind and left his mark. He has a genuine, original, recognizable sound. Ginger’s moments, when he gets into his rolling triplet zone is (Elvin-ish) but it has Gingers own touch. That’s very hard to do.
When Ginger plays swing bebop from his ride cymbal, it still has the forward momentum. Much like his playing 4/4 Cream backbeat music.
Along with Phil Seaman, Ginger loved American Jazz drummers, Max Roach, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones.
Ginger Baker was a great Jazz Drummer.
Next up is Bobby Ramirez and Edgar Winter White Trash